Delivery-case.



T. V. BOARDMAN.

DELIVERY CASE.

APPLICAT 1, 1916'. 1,219,069. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

THOMAS V. BOARDMAN, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR 'IO AMERICAN BOX AND CRATE COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TEN- NESSEE.

DELIVERY-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Man 13, 1917 Application filed May 31, 1916. Serial No. 100,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS V. BOARDM'AN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Knoxville, countyof Knox, State of Ten nessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivery Cases, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in delivery crates or cases particularly such as are adapted for receiving bottles. The embodiment of the invention illustrated is of the type or class which comprises simply an inclosing frame and a suitable bottom, the latter being provided with a series of apertures through which the necks of the bottles to be transported extend, the bottles being held in an inverted position.

The object of the invention is to provide a crate of the character referred to which will be of minimum weight and yet of such construction that it will be very strong and durable.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of'a crate constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the crate on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a bottom View of a portion of the crate;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the connection between the metal bottom sheet and the transverse supporting rods;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a detail view 011 an enlarged scale on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the inclosing frame which as usual is of rectangular form comprising end pieces 1, 1 and sides 2, 2, is made of wood, although it will be evident that a metal frame may be employed if desired. The ends 1, 1 of. the inclosing frame are provided with suitable hand holes 3.

The bottom of the crate comprises a metal plate or sheet 4 in which are formed circular bottle receiving openings 5, said plate being suitably supported and secured to the frame by two series of metal rods which respectively extend through and are attached to the ends and sides of the inclosing frame. Preferably the plate or sheet 4 is provided at its opposite side edges with tubular beads 4? and at intermediate points in its width is crimped or bent to provide upwardly extending hollow ribs or beads 4" which} are arranged between the longitudinal rows of apertures 5 and extend from one end of the sheet or plate 4 to the other. Metal rods 6 extend through the beads 4 and grooves formed in the lower face of the sheet 4, said rods passing through the ends 1, 1 of the frame and having their ends bent or clenched. into the body of said end pieces, as shown. The ends of the different rods 6 are bentin various directions so that they are most securely connected with the ends of the frame. As shown, the ends of the side rods that extend through the tubular beads 4 on the plate are bent horizontally or laterally, whereas the ends of the intermediate rods are bent either up or down, as shown in Fig. 1.

In addition to being supported by the longitudinally: extending rods 6, the bottom is also supported by a similar seriesof transversely extending rods 7 which extend through the sides 2, 2 of the inclosing frame and are attached thereto in the same manner as that in which the rods 6 are connected with the ends of the frame. p

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, the transverse bottom supporting rods 7 are connected with the metal plate or sheet 4 by clips 8 which are formed froln blanks surrounding said rods and having their ends extending upward through suitable slits in the plate 4 and then bentlaterally against the top surface of said sheet or plate. As shown, the ends 9 of such securing clips extend some distance on each side of the slit through which they pass and thereby a firm and secure interlocking or connection betweenthe rod 7 and plate or sheet 4 is provided. Theparts are so arranged that the metal plate or sheet 4 is interlocked with cross rods 7 on both sides of each aperture 5 therein between the rods 6 and by this means a very strong and durable bottom is provided from parts of minimum size and weight.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the plate 4 is provided with the side tubular beads 4 and intermediate crimped portions l to receive the longitudinal supporting rods (3, as above described. In this embodiment of the in vention, however, the transverse rods 7 are engaged directly with the metal sheet instead of being attached thereto by auxiliary or supplemental clips 8. In this form of the invention the top surface of the sheet or plate 4t is provided with suitably arranged depressions or grooves intermediatethe ribs at which grooves or depressions are provided at both ends with openings through which the rods 7 extend. These rods therefore, in this form of the invention, extend alternately beneath and above the plate i, the ends thereof being as above described rigidly secured to the sides 2, 2 of the inclosing frame.

The manner of using and the advantages of a crate constructed as hereinbefore described will be readily appreciated. It will be seen that the bottom plate or sheet is so thoroughly braced and strengthened that a relatively light or thin sheet is adapted to support the maximum weight that can be imposed thereon and the connection between the bottom and inclosing frame is of maximum strength. The beads and grooves for the supporting rods are easily formed in the metal plate so that the cost of manufacture of the device is relatively low.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a bottom comprising a metal sheet having tubular beads at opposite side edges, metal rods extending through said beads and secured to the ends of the frame, similar rods arranged beneath said sheet and secured at their ends to the sides of the frame, and means connecting the last said rods and metal sheet.

2. In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a bottom comprising a metal sheet having tubular beads at opposite side edges, metal rods extending through said beads and secured to the ends of the frame, similar rods extending beneath the sheet and secured to the ends of the frame, and other rods secured at their ends to the sides of the frame and each connected with the metal sheet between the rods that are attached to the ends of the frame.

3. In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a bottom comprising a metal sheet having a plurality of grooves formed in its lower face and extending throughout its length, a metal rod extending through each of said grooves and having its ends attached to the ends of the frame, and similar rods extending transversely of those aforesaid and having their ends attached to the sides of the frame, said transverse rods being locked to the sheet at points between the longitudinally extending rods.

In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a bottom comprising a metal sheet provided with a plurality of rows of apertures, opposite edges of said sheet being formed into tubular beads and the body thereof being shaped to provide a pliiu'ality of grooves in its lower surface, metal rods extending through said beads and grooves and having their ends secured to the ends of the frame, and transverse rods secured at their ends to the sides of the frame and each connected with said metal sheet at a plurality of points.

In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a bottom con'iprising two series of metal rods extending across the area inclosed by the frame, the rods of one series extending through and having their ends bent into engagement with the ends of the frame and the rods of the other series extending through and secured to the sides of the frame, and a plate or sheet of metal supported by and engaged with each of said rods at a plurality of points.

6. In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of

. a metal bottom, and a plurality of supporting rods each having its ends secured to opposite sides of the frame and the intermediate portion thereof extending alternately beneath and above the bottom.

7. In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a sheet metal bottom having a plurality of grooves formed in its lower surface, rods fitted within said grooves and having their ends secured to opposite sides of the frame, and a second series of rods extending from one side of the frame to the other, transversely to those aforesaid, and alternately passing below and above the bottom.

8. In a crate of the character described, the cinnbination with an inclosing frame, of a sheet metal. bottom having tubular beads at opposite side edges positioned adjacent opposite sides of the frame, rods extending through said beads and attached to the frame, and supplemental rods extending transversely of those aforesaid and having their ends secured to opposite sides of the frame, the last said rods being each connected with the bottom at a plurality of points.

9. In a crate of the character described,

the combination with an inclosing frame, of a sheet metal bottom having tubular beads at opposite side edges positioned adjacent opposite sides of the frame, rods extending through said beads and attached to the frame, similar rods extending parallel to those within the beads beneath the bottom and having their ends secured to the frame,

and additional rods extending transversely to those aforesaid from one side of the frame to the other and each connected with the bottom at a plurality of points.

10. In a crate of the character described, the combination with an inclosing frame, of a sheet metal bottom having tubular beads at opposite side edges positioned adjacent opposite sides of the frame, rods extending through said beads and attached to the Copies of this patent may be obtained for to those aforesaid from one side of the frame 5 to the other and each passing alternately below and above the bottom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS V. BOARDMAN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

